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NVIDIA Invests in Japan's 'Sakana AI'

TOKYO, Nov 20 (News On Japan) - NVIDIA has thrown its weight behind Sakana AI, a Tokyo-based startup rapidly gaining traction in the booming generative AI field. Since ChatGPT's debut in November 2022, industry giants like Google and Meta have entered the fray, intensifying the competitive landscape.

NVIDIA’s investment in Sakana AI highlights the startup’s prominence, as it attracts major funding both domestically and internationally. This includes significant interest from tech leaders like Google and Microsoft, who are also eyeing a surprising facility tied to the company’s innovations.

According to economic editor Satoshi Matsuo of Kyodo News, Sakana AI is at the center of a broader AI development wave, reflecting Japan’s growing role in global AI advancements.

Source: Kyodo

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At 5 a.m. on October 9th, Typhoon No. 22 (Halong), classified as a very strong system, was located near Aogashima as it moved northeast, bringing violent winds and heavy rainfall to the southern Izu Islands, including Hachijojima. The typhoon is passing directly over the region, with wind gusts exceeding 50 meters per second recorded in several locations.

A tropical depression that had been moving northwestward over the Mariana Islands developed into Typhoon No. 23 (Nakri) at 3 p.m. on October 8th east of the Philippines. It is the third typhoon to form this month. The system is expected to move northwest along the edge of a high-pressure zone toward the Okinawa and Amami regions.

Elementary and junior high school teachers in Japan still work the longest hours among their peers worldwide, according to an OECD report released on Tuesday. While the 2024 results by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development showed working hours had fallen by around four hours per week compared with the previous survey in 2018, Japan’s teachers still far exceeded their global counterparts.

Beer deliveries from Asahi Group Holdings have been disrupted following a ransomware cyberattack, causing shortages that have already begun to affect izakaya and other establishments across Japan. Some bars have reported their beer stock falling to “only one left” as supply chain delays ripple through the industry.

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake occurred off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture around 9:30 a.m. on October 7th, registering a maximum intensity of 4 on the Japanese seismic scale. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, there is no risk of a tsunami caused by this tremor.

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Nissan, currently in the midst of rebuilding its business, has unveiled a new model of its world-first mass-produced electric vehicle, the Leaf, as part of efforts to revive the company’s fortunes. The automaker will begin domestic sales of the third-generation Leaf on October 17th.

Prices continue to squeeze businesses across Japan, with the number of bankruptcies caused by rising costs reaching a record 488 cases in the first half of this fiscal year, according to data compiled by Teikoku Databank.

Japan and Indonesia have signed an agreement aimed at facilitating trade by simplifying customs procedures. Under the deal, both countries will apply the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) system to companies that are officially recognized as trustworthy by customs authorities.

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Amid growing expectations for Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takaiichi’s economic policies, stock and bond markets have seen significant movements. The question now is how her inflation-relief measures will shape people’s daily lives once implemented.

The Nikkei Stock Average climbed again on October 7th, setting another record high amid growing expectations surrounding the Liberal Democratic Party’s new leader, Sanae Takaichi. The benchmark index at one point rose more than 500 yen, marking the second consecutive day it reached an intraday record.

Toyota Motor Corporation announced that the planned tender offer (TOB) for its founding company, Toyota Industries, will be delayed from the original schedule of December to February 2026 or later due to pending antitrust procedures.

Household spending in Japan rose 2.3% in August from a year earlier, marking the fourth consecutive month of increase, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.